Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Gypsophila hybrida cultivar Blancanieves.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gypsophila plant, botanically known as Gypsophila hybrida, grown commercially as a cut flower, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Blancanievesxe2x80x99.
The new Gypsophila is an induced mutation of an unidentified proprietary selection of Gypsophila hybrida, not patented. The proprietary selection is the product of a open-pollination of Gypsophila hybrida Iron Gypsophila as the female, or seed, parent, not patented, and an unknown cultivar as the male, or pollen parent. Cuttings from chemically treated plants were planted and the new Gypsophila was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 1998 in a controlled environment in Delft, The Netherlands, as a single flowering plant among a population of plants. Plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plant of the proprietary selection in flower size and inflorescence form.
Asexual reproduction of the new Gypsophila by cuttings taken at Delft, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Gypsophila are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Blancanievesxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Blancanievesxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright plant habit.
2. Freely flowering habit.
3. Many-petaled white-colored flowers arranged in compound cymes.
4. Good post-production longevity.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Delft, the Netherlands, plants of the new Gypsophila have larger flowers and a more open inflorescence form than plants of Iron Gypsophila. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Delft, the Netherlands, plants of the new Gypsophila have shorter leaves, smaller flowers with more petals, stronger flower stems, and more erect and compact inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Magic Golan disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,257.
Plants of the new Gypsophila can be compared to plants of the cultivar Dangypmini, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,964. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Delft, The Netherlands, plants of the new Gypsophila are more outwardly spreading, have lighter green-colored leaves, and have larger flowers with more petals per flower. In addition, plants of the new Gypsophila do not have stamens whereas plants of the cultivar Dangypmini have stamens.
Plants of the new Gypsophila differ from plants of the Gypsophila cultivar Summer Snow, disclosed in a U.S Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/303,438 filed concurrently, in plant habit as plants of the cultivar Summer Snow are more compact and typically grown as potted plants.
The cultivar Blancanieves has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.